The BBC’s flagship political dust-up Question Time erupted into a full-blown firestorm last night, with Fiona Bruce at the epicentre of a viewer revolt that’s seen Ofcom’s complaint hotline light up like a Christmas tree – all because one fiery immigration debate spiralled into accusations of blatant right-wing pandering. As the dust settles on the Paisley studio showdown, social media is ablaze with calls to “replace” the veteran host, branding her the unwitting poster child for a BBC that’s “lost its way” in the post-Brexit blame game.

It was meant to be business as usual: Thursday’s edition, beamed live from a packed Renfrewshire audience, kicked off with the usual cocktail of Scottish separatists, Labour hopefuls, and Tory turncoats. Bruce, the poised powerhouse who’s chaired the show since 2019, helmed a panel stacked with heavy hitters – SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, his Scottish Labour counterpart Anas Sarwar, Scottish Conservative boss Russell Findlay, firebrand journalist Angela Haggerty, and the wildcard: Lord Malcolm Offord, the ex-Conservative trade minister who’s jumped ship to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK circus. The crowd? A rowdy 200-strong mix of punters from Paisley, buzzing with post-election grudges and pre-Christmas gripes.

Things turned toxic faster than a bad Burns Night haggis. The first audience question – a pointed prod on “immigration’s impact on Scottish housing” – should’ve been a standard skirmish. Flynn fired first, slamming Westminster’s “chaotic borders” as a SNP rallying cry; Sarwar parried with Labour’s “fair shares” pledge. Enter Offord, the fresh-faced Reform recruit, who hijacked the mic with a monologue on “small boat invasions” and “cultural dilution” that veered wildly off-piste. Findlay piled on with Conservative echoes, turning the chat into a two-man love-in that had the left-leaning punters squirming.

Bruce’s sin? Letting it ride. “Since we’re talking about Reform policy…” she interjected at one point, steering the ship – or so she thought – back to the question. But to viewers at home, it was gasoline on the flames. “Wildly off topic from the question! Why is Fiona indulging Offord and Findlay? #bbcqt,” raged one X user, their post exploding to 5,000 likes in an hour. Another snarled: “Because there is a #BBCBias to Tories and Reform #bbcqt.” The clincher? A third fumed: “Fiona Bruce: ‘Since we’re talking about Reform policy ….’ Yes, you are. Sack her now.” By the ad break, #ReplaceFionaBruce was trending nationwide, with memes of the host as a puppet-master pulling Reform strings racking up shares faster than Farage at a fish and chip shop.

Ofcom’s inbox? Pandemonium. By midnight, complaints topped 450 – a blistering tally that’s sure to swell by morning – slamming the Beeb for “imbalanced airtime” and Bruce for “failing to challenge right-wing rants.” One anonymous punter told The Express: “It felt like a Reform rally, not a debate. Fiona just sat there, nodding along while Flynn and Sarwar got drowned out. We’re paying the license fee for fair play, not a Farage fan club.” Echoes of past scandals – remember the 2023 domestic abuse row that netted 854 gripes? – have critics whispering this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Bruce, whose husband’s old Tory ties still haunt her impartiality creds.

The episode wasn’t all doom and drear. Bruce dropped a bombshell mid-show, halting the two-child benefit cap tussle to announce Question Time‘s festive hiatus: “No show next week, folks – Parliament’s on break, and so are we. Back in the new year with more fireworks.” The audience chuckled; Flynn quipped about “much-needed SNP downtime.” But the levity fizzled when immigration reared its head again, with Haggerty blasting “dog-whistle politics” and Offord doubling down on “sovereign borders.” Bruce tried to corral: “Let’s hear from Anas…” but the damage was done. Sarwar squeezed in a zinger on “Tory-Reform tag teams,” but the crowd’s applause skewed uneven – louder for the right, say the complainers, fueling bias claims.

Backlash spilled onto every platform. X became a battlefield: “No Fiona Bruce, it’s you that’s hard work,” one viewer jabbed, tagging the BBC. Reddit’s r/unitedkingdom lit up with threads dissecting “Bruce’s soft touch on Reform,” one user venting: “She’s brilliant on Antiques Roadshow, but QT? She’s letting the far-right hijack the narrative. Time for fresh blood.” Even Labour grandees piled on – a shadow cabinet source whispered to The Guardian: “Fiona’s usually unflappable, but tonight? She indulged the defectors like old mates at a reunion.” Reform, predictably, lapped it up: Farage retweeted a clip with “Finally, some sense on QT!” – salt in the wound for lefties.

Bruce, 61 and a BBC lifer from Crimewatch to Fake or Fortune, has weathered storms before. That 2023 Stanley Johnson flap? She stepped back from Refuge charity duties amid the uproar, but bounced back with poise. Last June’s SNP bias beef? Cleared by the Beeb’s own probe. Yet this feels stickier – with Reform’s poll surge and BBC impartiality under perpetual scrutiny, critics like ex-ITV bod Angus Roxburgh are calling for “a host shake-up to restore trust.” One petition on Change.org – “Sack Fiona Bruce from Question Time” – hit 10,000 signatures by dawn, pleading: “Her Tory blind spot is killing public discourse.”

The BBC’s knee-jerk? A bland statement by 2 a.m.: “We strive for balance on Question Time, reflecting diverse views. Fiona’s chairing ensures all voices are heard.” Ofcom? Mum for now, but expect a probe – their 2023 QT rulings were scathing on bias. Insiders whisper Bruce is “gutted but defiant,” prepping a solo response for her weekend radio slot.

As Paisley’s punters head to the pub nursing grudges, and London luvvies sharpen their quills, one thing’s clear: Question Time isn’t just debating the nation anymore – it’s dividing it. Bruce’s “indulgence” might’ve been a moderator’s misstep, but to the furious faithful, it’s the spark that could douse her QT flame. Will Ofcom fan the flames or flick them off? And who’ll step into the hot seat – Emily Maitlis redux, or a wildcard like Krishnan Guru-Murthy?

In the coliseum of current affairs, Fiona Bruce just drew first blood – from her own side. The ton’s tuning in tomorrow, popcorn at the ready. Because in BBC land, the real question isn’t policy. It’s survival.